WEST CORK COAST ( 1)*

By Ciarán Cronin * The headlands, islands and bays further west in West Cork will be covered in the next issue.

N 71 Cork Ros Area covered by map H

Skibbereen

0 Distance (kilometres) 10

Schull

Baltimore Chough – Ciarán Cronin

Harbour Observatory Cotter’s Gdn. 5 Waist Red-backed Shrike and Red-breasted West Bog 1 Cape Clear Old Head of Kinsale Flycatcher, and Black Redstarts are regular. Pointabullig Target species: Sooty Shearwater, Peregrine, Follow the laneway past the Plantation to Blanan Black Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Yellow-browed the west side of the Head, checking for Warbler, Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, Chough. migrants along the way. Alternatively, continue Access: From Kinsale town take the R600 on the main road past the Plantation, checking over the bridge and continue 3km. Turn left the gardens, hedges and fields, and keep an eye onto R604 (signed ‘Old Head’) and continue out for Whinchat and Ring Ouzel. About 1km 5km to Speckled Door pub, above small past the Plantation, where the open fields harbour. Turn left at the pub for the Old begin, there is a path down past a farm (the Head. Public access through the golf course “Magic Garden”) and on into a sheltered area to the tip is by permit only. of bushes with a small stream. This often holds migrant warblers, and the fields are good for Habitats: Rocky foreshore, cliffs, small finches, pipits and wagtails. gardens, farmland. Returning to the main road, continue Birds: The harbour below the Speckled checking fields along to the last accessible Door is always worth a look and often holds area, by the signal tower and castle. Choughs terns and gulls (including Mediterranean are present all year on the Head, especially at Gull), Black Guillemots and occasional Purple the cliff edges and fields near the castle, an Sandpipers. There is a chance of seeing divers area also excellent for Peregrine and Black and Slavonian Grebe. On the headland itself, Redstart. check all the hedgerows and gardens you pass In summer, the cliff-top beside the Golf for migrant birds, and keep your eyes open Club entrance is an excellent place to get for a passing Merlin, Hen Harrier or close views of thousands of breeding seabirds. Short-eared Owl in autumn. Care is required here, as it is enticing to get About 1km from the pub there is a farm on too near the unprotected cliff edge. Fulmar, your right-hand side with pine trees (“the Kittiwake, Cormorant, Shag, Guillemot and Plantation”) where many rarities have been Razorbill are all likely. In southwesterly winds, found, including Hawfinch and Grey-cheeked look for passing seabirds: you may well pick Sooty Shearwater Thrush. The Plantation provides your best out a Sooty Shearwater amongst Manx – Eric Dempsey chance of seeing Yellow-browed Warbler, Pied Shearwaters. Flycatcher and Firecrest. Other scarce From the signal tower, return the way you migrants have included Reed Warbler, Garden came or continue the loop down the west Warbler, Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Wryneck, side of the head, then back to the pub. 8 WINGS AUTUMN 2009 KINSALE

R600

R 6 0 N 4 7 1 n i n o r

C Timoleague T R600 im Speckled Door n o á lea ry r gue Estua a i Black-tailed Godwit ‘Plantation’ C CLONAKILTY ‘Magic Garden’ lagoon

White’s Marsh Castle Golf Club pond 71 N Clogheen Marsh

scarbery Inchydoney 1 Hotel Ardfield Old Head of Kinsale 2 Pier Clonakilty 4 Shite Lane Red Strand Dirk Rosscarbery Bay 3 Galley Head Castle Target species: Peregrine, Black Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Barred 3 Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, Chough. Galley Head Access: Continuing works at the lighthouse means that the tip Ring-billed Gull of Galley Head (beyond the castle walls) is off-limits this year. 2 Clonakilty From Clonakilty, follow directions to Clogheen Marsh (as above). Continue up the hill past the Marsh and through the Target species: Pectoral village of Ardfield. The road passes Red Strand and goes uphill. Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Take a left beyond the houses and after 1km you will reach a Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, small crossroads. From here, straight ahead is for the lighthouse, s i

Spotted Redshank, v left for Dirk Bay, and right (downhill) for Shite Lane. a D

Mediterranean Gull, Ring- l Habitats: Sea bay, coastal grasslands, scrub woodland, hedges, e a

billed Gull. h

c gardens. i Access: From Cork, take the M Birds: Dirk Bay often holds Great Northern Diver, and Gannets N71 to Clonakilty – or you can often be seen patrolling or feeding here. The hedgerows and can take the R600 from Kinsale to Clonakilty (via Timoleague Estuary). Just fields on the way down usually contain Whitethroat and Sedge after the roundabout as you enter Clonakilty, there are some red benches that Warbler in season, but check all birds for something more provide a good view of the inner estuary. Follow the N71 west from the Red unusual. At the bottom of the bay there is some dense woodland Benches and take a left past the ‘Model Railway Village’ to view the west side and Fuchsia hedges. Patience is required here, and a good ear for of the estuary. Follow this road for 2km and turn right onto the causeway, bird calls, but in October, Yellow-browed Warbler is frequent, before Inchydoney. The pool on your right (White’s Marsh) is a favoured wader while Firecrest and Pied Flycatcher are always a possibility. The roost at high tide. At the end of the road, take a left: Clogheen Marsh is on area has had some extreme rarities in the past, with American your right at the end of the estuary. birds in the shape of Philadelphia Vireo, American Redstart, Habitats: Tidal estuary and mudflat, brackish lagoons. Hermit Thrush and Swainson’s Thrush, and ‘eastern’ rarities Birds: Clonakilty Estuary contains large numbers of waders during autumn: including Radde’s Warbler and Greenish Warbler. check thoroughly for something more interesting. As the tide rises, waders and Going straight ahead at the crossroads brings you to the tip, gulls are pushed up towards the Red Benches and can be viewed with ease. which is off-limits this year, but is usually an excellent site for Redshank, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, seawatching. The castle walls often hold a Black Redstart. Turning Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Knot, Dunlin, Curlew and Whimbrel are almost right at the always present. Scarcer waders such as Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Little Stint and Pectoral Sandpiper crossroads brings Curlew Sandpiper are also regular in autumn. The western side of the estuary you downhill to an can provide close views of larger waders, such as Greenshank, Curlew, Black- area of fields and tailed Godwit and Whimbrel. Mediterranean Gulls can be expected amongst hedgerows locally the gull flocks, but look closely for Ring-billed, Glaucous, Iceland and Yellow- known as Shite Lane. legged Gulls. Bonaparte’s and Laughing Gulls have also been recorded here. This extensive area White’s Marsh (and nearby Clogheen Marsh) can provide excellent views of should also be roosting waders and are the best areas to check for an occasional Pectoral checked for migrants, Sandpiper, while Ruff are regular here in the autumn. Don’t forget to report any and the hedgerows colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwits seen in the area, with full details of the ring here are your best sequences. In recent years, rarer species such as Lesser Yellowlegs, bet for finding Ring Semipalmated, Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpipers and American Golden Ouzel and Barred Plover have been seen. Cattle Egrets have been a feature in recent years, so Warbler, or possibly check any egrets in the fields along the way. even a Red-backed At all areas, do look through the large flocks of ducks. Mallard, Wigeon and Shrike. Chough and s e

Teal dominate, but Shelduck, Shoveler and Pintail are regular. Both American b Peregrine may be m

o seen anywhere in the

Wigeon and Green-winged Teal have been seen here, and White’s Marsh and o C

Galley Head area.

Clogheen Marsh occasionally hold a Garganey. k c i D WINGS AUTUMN 2009 9 n i n o r C n i l n h á g

Ring Ouzel r u a i a L C c M n á Mediterranean Gull n ó

R Habitats: Rocky headlands, coastal heaths, bogs, marshes, farmland. Birds: Cape Clear Island is Ireland’s most famous location for rare and scarce bird sightings, as well as being one of the country’s 4 Rosscarbery Estuary premier seawatching sites. When conditions are right, almost any Target species: Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted migrant species that has ever been seen in Ireland is a possibility. Redshank, Mediterranean Gull, Ring-billed Gull. Autumn is the best time to visit, both for migrant birds as well as for Access: The N71 from Clonakilty brings you directly to Rosscarbery. seawatching. Late July to early September is the best time for sea- As you approach the causeway heading for the village, there is a lay-by watching, while mid-September to late October is the peak time for on the left providing parking and a bird information notice. Alternatively, land-based migrants. at the other end of the causeway you can turn left opposite the Celtic Check the gardens in Baltimore, especially around the small bay. Ross Hotel and walk along the road down the west side of the estuary, Yellow-browed Warbler, flycatchers and Firecrest are all regular here finishing at a pier on the outer estuary. in autumn, while divers, Black Guillemots and mergansers frequent the Habitats: Estuary and mudflat, open sea. bay. The gulls around the fishing boats at Baltimore often include a Glaucous or Iceland Gull, while an Ivory Gull frequented this area Birds: At the first parking area you can get good views of many earlier this year. Keep an eye out for seabirds during the ferry common waders, as well as the now ubiquitous (in Cork, at least) Little crossing, as shearwaters are not infrequent, and you may see a Grey Egrets. At low tide there is usually a small roost of gulls near the car Phalarope or European Storm Petrel. Black Guillemots are common at park, and this often contains Mediterranean and Ring-billed Gulls, and the entrance to North Harbour on Cape Clear. sometimes a rarer Yellow-legged Gull. Opposite the Celtic Ross Hotel, the small pool by the roadside can On Cape itself, follow the road past the shop. The garden behind often hold Kingfisher, and good views of Snipe and Water Rail can Cotter’s Pub, “Cotter’s Garden” can be viewed from the top of the sometimes be had here. In the corner of the estuary, you may see hill, and often holds interesting birds. From here, you can go left to Turnstone, while throwing some bread (as the locals do) will attract “the Waist” to view the scrub under Ciarán Danny Mike’s pub. Check many gulls: these will often include an Iceland or Glaucous Gull. the bushes for passerines, and look for Water Rail in the stream at the A bit further along this road, a rising tide can bring many of the Waist. Continue on to the Youth Hostel garden, from where you can smaller waders close enough to view without a telescope. The species head up the Glen to make a loop walk around the north of the island. found here (including rarities) are similar to those listed for Clonakilty, To go seawatching, walk along the shore path past the Youth Hostel but of the more regular birds, this area usually holds more Sanderling, and head up the hill, taking a right after 100m, and follow the signed Ringed Plover and Knot as well as a large flock of up to 2,000 Golden hiker’s trail to the tip of Pointanbullig headland. This is a safe location Plover. Greenshank are more common towards the outer estuary, and for seawatching, and you can expect to see Manx Shearwater, Gannets from the pier at the end of this road it is worth checking the sea for and Fulmars. In the right conditions, Sooty, Balearic, Great and Cory’s divers and grebes, while Long-tailed Duck are very scarce but possible to see here also. Peregrines often hunt the estuary, while Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Osprey and White-tailed Eagle have also been seen in the area.

5 Cape Clear Island Target species: Sooty Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater, Peregrine, Black Guillemot, Black Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Barred Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, Chough. Access: There are regular ferries (no cars) to Cape Clear, departing from Baltimore and Schull. For main island ferry, see www.capeclearferry.com. For others, see www.cailinoir.com and www.capeclearferries.com. The BirdWatch Ireland-run Bird y

Observatory beside the harbour on Cape Clear provides e s p

accommodation (advance booking essential) and the resident warden m e D

can provide information. Apart from the ‘Obs,’ there is a Youth Barred Warbler c i r

Hostel, self-catering cottages, B&Bs and a campsite. E 10 WINGS AUTUMN 2009 Firecrest h s l a W l u a P

Shearwaters, European Storm Petrels, Grey Phalaropes, Great and Arctic Skuas are all likely. Pomarine and Long-tailed Skua as well as Sabine’s Gull are less common, while rare seabirds such as Wilson’s Petrel, Fea’s Petrel and Black-browed Albatross have been seen. Seawatching is possible from other locations, but these are more dangerous, so consult the warden. Alternatively, from Cotter’s Garden you can turn right (south) and take either of two cul-de-sacs at the fork, to the southern half of the island. Barred Warblers favour the dense brambles near the West Bog, and this area always holds a few Chough and, occasionally, Ring Ouzel. There is nowhere on Cape where good birds have not been encountered. From late September to November, there will almost certainly be a few Yellow-browed Warblers, Pied Flycatchers and Firecrests present. Other regulars include Turtle Dove, Wryneck, Redstart, Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Hoopoe, Lapland Bunting, Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit. Less regular are Red-breasted Flycatcher, Icterine Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Golden Oriole, Subalpine Warbler, Woodchat Shrike and Common Rosefinch. The list of rare species seen on the island is mouth-watering and includes American passerines as well as Siberian vagrants. Here’s a sample: Sardinian Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Bonelli’s Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler, Lesser Grey Shrike, Serin, Red-eyed Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Oriole, Bobolink, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, White-throated Sparrow, Rustic Bunting, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Grey Catbird, Northern Waterthrush, Siberian Thrush, Scarlet Tanager. Chough, Raven and Peregrine breed on the island and can be encountered anywhere, but keep an eye out for Merlin, Short-eared Owl and Hen Harrier, as these often pass through. y e l n a M

k c i

Pied Flycatcher r r t a P 1 Sooty Shearwater Look for these amongst Manx Shearwaters passing any headland, but 6 Ring Ouzel Cape Clear in August or September provides the best chances. Always scarce, and often seen only briefly, but the West Bog or the 2 Black-tailed Godwit Glen on Cape Clear Island in October provides the best chances. These will be present on almost any estuary from early July, but the 7 Barred Warbler west side of Clonakilty on an incoming tide will provide excellent Scarce, irregular, and often secretive when present. Look in bramble views. hedges around the West Bog on Cape Clear from mid-September. 3 Pectoral Sandpiper 8 Firecrest Look amongst the grassy borders of White’s and Clogheen Marshes, Cotter’s Garden on Cape Clear from mid-September often has a especially in September. Firecrest present. 4 Mediterranean Gull 9 Pied Flycatcher Look amongst the gulls at Rosscarbery, especially the closer birds by the lay-by on the east side. Best numbers in late August and Possible in any area of coastal trees from September onwards. September. Cotter’s Garden on Cape Clear often has one in the sycamores. 5 Ring-billed Gull 10 Chough Possible in any gull flock, but Rosscarbery, from September onwards, is Widespread throughout the year on most headlands in West Cork. the most regular site. Reliably seen near the castle on the Old Head of Kinsale.

WINGS SUMMER 2009 11